 | POLITICS | |
SOBR Behind Human Abductions
11:29, 22/08/2001, “BDG” investigation department
The authorities never opened investigation proceedings on the matter of recently disclosed by Vladimir Goncharik interrogation and reports protocols, testifying that the “death penalty” gun was handed out upon Sivakov’s command right on the days when famous Belarusians went missing off the street. Many called into question the authenticity of the document. Now it appears that they are authentic indeed. At least, that’s what former confinement center #1 chief Oleg Alkaev says: 
11:14, 22/08/2001
Around 500 people gathered opposite the presidential residence tonight. Police kept ousting the dissenters further onto the sidewalk, but they wouldn’t obey. Before the end of the action the folks stretched out, clasping their hands together, into one line, after which they walked home in safety. Huge number of law-enforcers didn’t step up any measures against the picketers, but remained on the spot even when all the people were gone.
11:13, 22/08/2001
Today the authorities arrested the accounts, belonging to the independent press “Magic”. At the moment, according to preliminary information, the confiscation of their property is going at full force. It’s worth mention that most country’s independent newspapers are published here. Apparently the authorities are seeking to impede the free information flow, especially in light of the newly emerged publications, implicating the top brass in kidnappings and killings of their political rivals.
11:12, 22/08/2001
Action “Chain of those who care” is taking place these minutes in central Minsk. Roughly 400 people encircled the presidential residence, holding up portraits of missing Yuri Zakharenko, Viktor Gonchar, Anatoly Krasovsky, Dmitry Zavadsky, deceased under mysterious circumstances Gennady Karpenko and Anatoly Maisenya, incarcerated Valery Schukin and Andrei Klimov. Some protesters brought their kids with them, even little babies. Police and plain-clothed people drive everyone to the opposite side of the road from the residence. Thus, most folks are now ousted to the sidewalks across the street. The number of action participants is constantly growing.
11:11, 22/08/2001
Former prosecutor general of Belarus Oleg Bozhelko returned to Belarus today. Interestingly, the return of ex-prosecutor general, whose resignation is linked to his lack of desire to cover up Belarusian top officials, implicated in abductions and murders of Lukashenko’s opponents, coincided in time with the publication in independent press of an interview of former confinement center #1 colonel Alkaev, who declared that the kidnapping of humans has been orchestrated by the police quick reaction force. As you remember, just prior to his abrupt dismissal, Oleg Bozhelko ruled to imprison SOBR commander Dmitry Pavlichenko, suspected of abducting an ORT cameraman Dmitry Zavadsky. Both Bozhelko and Alkaev went into hiding abroad a while ago but today both of them showed up. Prosecutor general comes next.
11:10, 22/08/2001
Those, who care about the destiny of the kidnapped, deceased under mysterious circumstances and jailed oppositionists of the current regime will gather today at 5p.m. near Lukashenko’s residence on Karl Marx street 38. The people will raise portraits of Zakharenko, Gonchar, Krasovsky, Zavadsky, Maisenya, Schukin and Klimov. The action participants will urge the authorities to tell the public the truth about the destiny of these people. The event will attract relatives and friends of the harassed. Read Charter’97 on-line updates tonight.
11:09, 22/08/2001
Scheduled speech of the unique candidate from wide public coalition, trade union federation Vladimir Goncharik will be televised tonight, August 22 at 7p.m. The floor won’t be shown live though, as far as CEC denied candidates live TV coverage. Regretfully, Charter’97 press-center doesn’t possess the full transcript of Goncharik’s speech, for it simply doesn’t exist. Preparing his report Vladimir Goncharik only put down key notes.
11:08, 22/08/2001
Contrary to the recently emerged evidence, implicating prosecutor general Sheiman, deputy head of the Administration Sivakov, Interior Minister Naumov, SOBR commander Pavlichenko in the abductions and slaughter of prominent Belarusians, Alexander Lukashenko didn’t heed any testimony by KGB agents, prosecutor general staff or the interior forces soldier. Instead, he continues protecting them, by referring to these people “my most faithful servants”. “Look who’s beside the president now! Who loyally served me all these seven years? Sheiman and Sivakov and later Myasnikovich and Naumov. No one of them betrayed their president,” – stated Lukashenko during his latest meeting with the “executive”.
11:07, 22/08/2001
The tax police officers of the Zavodskoy district of Minsk confiscated ten computers belonging to the most popular independent newspaper “Narodnaya Volya”.
11:06, 22/08/2001
Candidate for the presidency, leader of the “Regional Belarus” association Syamon Domash filed in a report on his withdrawal from the race in favor of the unique candidate from wide public coalition, chairman of the Federation of free trade unions of Belarus Vladimir Goncharik. Therefore, Domash kept all the previously reached agreements with Goncharik. Goncharik, in his turn, signed a plea, in which he asks the CEC to appoint Syamon Domash as his trustee. Following the signing ceremony the unique candidate embraced Syamon Domash and declared that his act was a “manifestation of bravery of not only a loyal citizen and politician but even more so of a real man.” At the moment, Syamon Domash hands over to CEC the documents, which testify to his quitting the race in Goncharik’s favor.
11:05, 22/08/2001
“Unfortunately, there are a number of troubling indications that the upcoming presidential election will not be free and fair. In recent weeks, non-governmental organizations conducting non-partisan election-related activity have been attacked by police, and U.S. government owned equipment has been seized. There is growing pressure on the independent media, and the opposition remains at the government`s mercy to gain access to state media on fair terms. The Belarusian opposition is not even marginally represented on the central and territorial electoral commissions,” – told in an interview to BelaPAN Elizabeth Jones, Assistant Secretary for European Affairs of the U.S. Department of State. Read below the full transcript:
Head of OSCE/ODIHR Mission Alarmed Over Late Deployment of International Monitors
11:04, 22/08/2001
Hrair Balian, head of the Election Section of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions (ODIHR), on August 21 expressed grave concern about the late deployment of the OSCE/ODIHR observation mission for Belarus, presidential election coming up in September.
11:03, 22/08/2001
"This is not a normal election campaign, but in effect an effort to prevent a fair election," Aaron Rhodes, executive director of the International Helsinki Federation (IHF), said on August 21, after observing Belarus, presidential campaign for a few days at the head of an IHF delegation.
Goncharik to Sue BT Host Novikov for Defamatory Report
11:02, 22/08/2001
Valentina Polevikova, a confidant of the unique opposition candidate for the president Vladimir Goncharik lodged a lawsuit to the State Procuracy. The reason for her act were the libelous declarations about Goncharik, voiced by the BT host of the odious program “Human Rights: Insight into the World” Evgeny Novikov.
11:01, 22/08/2001
International Human Rights Association urged the members of electoral commissions to “fairly execute their duties and not give in to any pressure; remain unbiased and communicate facts of rigged voting to the observers,” – reads the text of the Association’s address to the Belarusian populace, runners for the president and members of elective commissions.
| |
|
, javascript-informer
